December 30, 2007 - France will introduce a nationwide ban on smoking in most public places from January 1, 2008, the French health minister said Friday. Eleven months after smoking became illegal in offices, schools, hospitals, airports and train stations, Europe’s heaviest smokers, the French will now be banned from smoking in cafes, bars, restaurants, hotels, clubs and casinos. “The ban has been ready for a year and everyone knows that it is coming into effect. No one can say they were taken by surprise,” said Health Minister Roselyne Bachelot. However, the minister said the ban will be enforced gradually and police will be in no hurry to impose fines for those caught smoking on the first few days after New Year. Meanwhile, French cafe owners fear that they will lose clients and their profits could plunge. Owners of France’s 800 shisha bars are particularly concerned by the new law fearing it will lead to mass closures. Psychologists also warned that the country with 15-million smokers could face a shock. France is the latest of the EU member states to ban smoking in public places. In 2004, Ireland became the first European country to introduce a comprehensive ban, prohibiting smoking in pubs, restaurants and other enclosed workplaces. Ireland’s anti-smoking measures were followed by Italy, Norway, Sweden, the U.K, Denmark and Portugal. Other EU member states, including Belgium, Cyprus, Lithuania, Spain, Slovenia and the Netherlands have anti-smoking legislation, but there are some exceptions.(" France Introduces Nationwide Smoking Ban January 1" source: RIA Novosti (Russian News and Information Agency), 12/28/2007) It is calculated that more than half of 15- to 25-year-olds smoke, the highest proportion in the European Union. Efforts to dissuade them have persistently backfired. Click on image to enlarge..
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December 29, 2007 - Wisconsin cigarette tax and tax on other tobacco products to increase January 1, 2008.. The Wisconsin cigarette tax will increase from 77 cents per pack to $1.77 on New Year’s Day. It will be the 12th highest in the nation. New Jersey has the highest tax at $2.28 per pack. The Legislative Fiscal Bureau predicts Wisconsin’s cigarette tax collections will increase almost 80 percent in just three years — from $296 million in 2006 to $531 million in 2009. At the same time, the state’s Tobacco Control Resource Center estimates that 33,300 adult smokers will quit because of the tax increase, and 65,800 youths will be deterred from taking up the habit. Wisconsin has about 1 million smokers. (" Smokers consider quitting with cigarette tax about to take effect," The Associated Press, fdlreporter.com (Fond Du Lac, WI), December 28, 2007) See related news briefs: November 13, 2007, September 13, 2007 and April 1, 2007. Click on image to enlarge..

December 29, 2007 - Illinois Goes Smoke Free on January 1, 2008.. At the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve, Illinois will ban virtually all indoor smoking in public spaces, including bars and restaurants. Chicago restricted indoor smoking in 2005, and so far this year, the city has received only 119 smoking-related complaints, the public health department said. Under the Smoke-Free Illinois Act, just about the only places left where you can smoke indoors will be private cars and homes. Smoking will be banned in offices, factory floors, stores, private clubs, prisons, bowling alleys, dormitories, stadiums, casinos, elevators and restrooms. Smoking also will be banned within 15 feet of entrances, exits and windows. Smoking will still be allowed in private rooms in nursing homes, in up to 25 percent of hotel rooms and in tobacco shops and hookah bars that don’t serve food or alcohol. Smokers could be fined as much as $250. Businesses could be fined at least $250 for the first violation and at least $2,500 for a third violation within a year. A 2005 survey found that 72 percent of Illinois adults said smoking should be banned from work and 73 percent said it should be banned from restaurants. (" Happy New Year. Now, put out that cigarette" by JIM RITTER Health Reporter/jritter@suntimes.com, Chicago Sun-Times, December 28, 2007) See related news brief: July 25, 2007. Click on image to enlarge - image Keith Hale/Sun-Times..
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December 28, 2007 - Pipe dreams: With more hookah bars popping up, experts warn about the potential dangers of tobacco.. Many hookah (Sheesha or Shisha, Narghile, Waterpipe) fans contend that drawing smoke through water removes some of the harmful chemicals. Scientists, however, say that although the hookah might filter out some irritants, the smoke nevertheless contains high levels of nicotine, carbon monoxide and other toxic chemicals. The potential risks, of hookah smoking has taken on added relevance as hookah bars have begun to sprout up across the U.S. in recent years. There are more than 400 hookah cafes, according to an online database of hookah bars. There is a growing popularity of hookah bars, especially among 18- to 24-year-olds. Dr. David Burns, professor emeritus of medicine at the University of California, San Diego, "and there is evidence that it contains many of the toxic constituents of tobacco. And you may get them in higher doses than you would from smoking cigarettes because of the very large volume of smoke that you ingest." Hookah sessions typically last 20 to 80 minutes, and the mildness of the smoke allows for deeper inhalations. A WHO advisory issued in 2005 reports that during one 40- to 45-minute hookah session, a smoker could, in theory, inhale the equivalent of 100 cigarettes. See related news briefs: directly below and Hookah (Shisha or Sheesha, Narghile) is Worse than Smoking Cigarettes. Click on image to enlarge - the work of Tenniel, Sir John (b. Feb. 28, 1820, London, Eng.--d. Feb. 25, 1914, London)..

December 27, 2007 - With more youngsters and women taking to sheesha (waterpipe) smoking, experts like Dr. Ahmad al-Mulla, the director of the stop smoking clinic in Doha - the capital of Qatar, warn the practice is no less harmful than cigarette smoking. The smoke that comes out of sheesha contains numerous toxicants known to cause lung cancer and heart diseases, by delivering the addictive nicotine. A comment from a user: Mureno, a 22-year old student - "I am truly re-living the Arabian Nights" whose favorite tobacco flavor is 'double apple.' The tobaccos come in assorted flavors such as apple, mint, chocolate and grape. The law banning public smoking of tobacco or its derivatives was implemented in 2002 but cafes offering sheeshas did not fall under the category. According to Dr. al-Mullah the authorities are not issuing any more licenses for new cafes offering sheesha (shisha). There's a widespread notion among youngsters that the practice of sheesha smoking is relative which is NOT true. ("Sheesha as harmful as cigarette, say experts" by Sarmad Qazi, Gulf Times, 12/27/2007) See related news brief:Hookah (Shisha or Sheesha, Narghile) is Worse than Smoking Cigarettes.Read more...

December 25, 2007 - Snuff Is NOT 'Safer' Substitute For Cigarettes.. Dr. Stephen S. Hecht, an internationally recognized expert on cancer-causing agents in tobacco and the pathways by which they cause cancer, has completed a 20-year review (in the January 1, 2008 issue of American Chemical Society's Section on Chemical Research in Toxicology) off scientific research on tobacco and cancer challenges the idea that moist snuff — increasingly popular in the United States — can be a safer substitute for cigarette smoking. The paper, which covers the broad range of research on cancer induced by tobacco, points out that smokeless tobacco, a known cause of oral cancer, is contaminated with levels of cancer-causing nitrosamines that are generally 1,000 times greater than those found in any other consumer product. Despite health warning labels on packages of smokeless tobacco and a ban on electronic advertising, sales of snuff have continued to increase, the paper states. “In the past several years, a new concept has emerged,” the paper notes. “Responsible members of the tobacco control community support the idea of using ‘low nitrosamine’ moist snuff as a substitute for cigarette smoking. The rationale for this is that moist snuff is demonstrably less carcinogenic in humans, and less toxic in other ways, because it lacks the combustion products.” However, moist snuff products still contain significant levels of carcinogens, and users should stop, rather than switch from one risky product to another, the paper advises. ( "New Report Challenges Idea That Snuff Is A 'Safer' Substitute For Cigarettes," Science Daily, 12/24/2007) Dr Hecht - related news briefs: October 30, 2007, October 6, 2007 and August 10, 2007. Let's not forget the American Cancer Society study of more than 116,000 men finds that cigarette smokers who switched to spit tobacco products had a higher risk of dying prematurely from tobacco-related diseases than former smokers who stopped using all forms of tobacco.

December 21, 2007 - UST Inc. (principal subsidiaries: U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company and Ste. Michelle Wine Estates), the largest U.S. snuff-maker, said yesterday (12/19/2007) that it will increase marketing and introduce new products to counter increased competition from Altria Group Inc. and Reynolds American Inc. Americans are smoking nearly 2 percent fewer cigarettes each year, prompting Philip Morris USA to begin selling a Marlboro snus product in Atlanta (actually Dallas/Ft. Worth - TW) and Reynolds to test a Camel Snus product in seven markets, including Greensboro, High Point and the Triangle. New UST products include wintergreen-flavored Skoal Edge and new varieties of Skoal Dry, a spitless snuff in small pouches. UST said it plans to spend more than $100 million in 2008 on marketing and other steps to increased sales. ( "UST snuff-maker to crank up marketing, fight competition" Winston-Salem Journal, December 20, 2007)

December 21, 2007 - New Life for Ariva®, Stonewall® Dissolvable Smokeless Tobacco Products... ( These tobacco lozenges have been around for a few years with lackluster sales; in fact, some retail stores refused to even carry these nicotine addicting products.) Star Scientific, Inc. held its annual shareholder’s meeting on Friday, December 14, 2007 in Washington, DC. Star executives were gratified with the results of two studies from the University of Minnesota Transdisciplinary Tobacco Use Research Center that favored their tobacco lozenge products. One study examined the potential health risks and benefits of potential harm reduction products. Tobacco-specific carcinogen uptake was greater from Exalt (SNUS product by Swedish Match) than from the MNL (medicinal nicotine lozenge), and was comparable between the MNL and Ariva. Physiological effects and subjective effects on withdrawal and craving were comparable among Exalt, Ariva, and the MNL. Ariva was preferred over the MNL, which was preferred over Exalt. It was concluded that with the exception of medicinal nicotine products, low-nitrosamine ST products have the greatest potential to result in reduced toxicant exposure compared with other combustible reduced exposure products and have promise for reducing individual risk for disease. ( "Pilot study on lower nitrosamine smokeless tobacco products compared with medicinal nicotine," M. Irene Mendoza-Baumgart et al., Nicotine & Tobacco Research 9(12): 1309-1323, 2007) In another study tobacco specific nitrosamine levels were analyzed in Ariva, Stonewall, Exalt, Rebel, Smokey Mountain (a tobacco free snuff product) and Quest and compared their TSNAs levels with those in NRT (nicotine replacement therapy) and conventional smokeless tobacco and cigarette brands. The lowest levels containing tobacco were in the two Star Scientific products Ariva and Stonewall. "Tobacco-specific nitrosamines in new tobacco products," Irene Stepanov et al., Nicotine & Tobacco Research 8(2):309-313, 2006. All of a sudden Star has 130 new distributors (an 166% increase over 2006) - at retail outlets Ariva and/or Stonewall can be found at Food Lion Grocery stores, a number Kroger Stores and drug store chains like Walgreens and Rite Aid. Star is now convinced they are the leader in the low-TSNA dissolvable smokeless tobacco category. Tobacco products that look like candy containing compressed tobacco powder along with sweeteners, mint and other flavorings, and resembles a brand of popular breath mints. (The Cancer Blog)

December 20, 2007 - Congress Sends An Extension of the SCHIP to President Bush.. Bush vetoed the 2nd bill expanding the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)on December 12. The extension through March 2009 was part of legislation that also gave physicians a 0.5 percent rate increase when they treat the elderly and disabled in Medicare. Physicians had been scheduled to take a 10 percent cut. The reprieve for doctors will last until June 30. The House leadership has scheduled a vote for January 23, 2008 to attempt to override that veto. It appears that the House will not be able to muster the 2/3 vote necessary to override the veto. Late last week there was talk regarding a short term extension of the current SCHIP program through March 31, 2008. However, on December 17, negotiators agreed to extend the current SCHIP program through March 31, 2009 with a small increase in funding necessary for the states to maintain their current enrollment through that date. There will be no increase in tobacco taxes to fund that modest increase. While it is always possible that the Democrats will introduce another SCHIP bill in 2008 to force the Republicans to vote on the issue, it now appears likely that the issue will be pushed into 2009. ( "Current SCHIP Program to be Extended to 2009 Veto Override Attempt of Current SCHIP Legislation Unlikely" by Chris McCalla, Ligislative Director, International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers Assoc., 12/18/2007) Dr. Marina L. Weiss of the March of Dimes, "It is extremely unfortunate
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December 19, 2007 - Weighing the Benefits - An independent Lorillard opens acquisition, cash-flow opportunities by Steve Holtz.. Citigroup analyst Bonnie Herzog wrote: "In our opinion, the most appealing aspect of this spinoff will be Lorillard's ability to act as an independent company, without the 'confinement' of the Loews Corp. board." "Lorillard will be free to make acquisitions using its own stock as currency or conduct share buybacks as it sees fit." Added Herzog, "Post spin, Lorillard will no longer be under the 'control' of parent company Loews, and will be free to pursue its expansion plans and balance sheet restructuring (increased leverage for buybacks or acquisitions), Lorillard won't trade with a tracking stock discount, the new Lorillard stock may attract new investors previously turned off by the tracking stock nature of Carolina Group, and Lorillard will be debt free." As reported on Monday (12/17/2007), Lorillard will soon begin test marketing its own snus, under the brand Triumph - NO Newport SNUS yet. Meanwhile Newport smokers are complaining about the Lorillard price increase that recently went into effect - c-store news. (TobaccoWatch.org)
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December 19, 2007 - Tobacco industry adapts to smoking bans by developing dozens of new ways for the body to absorb nicotine.. Big tobacco is developing dozens of new ways for the body to absorb nicotine - from hookahs to snus to lozenges ( see also SNUS.biz) to smokeless nicotine delivery systems. And, in a clear attempt to attract younger users, they come in more flavors than you can find at a Ben & Jerry's ice cream store. That new terrain in the world of tobacco was sketched out by Dorothy Hatsukami, a tobacco researcher at the University of Minnesota, for some of the approximately 3,000 anti-tobacco experts from around the world who met in Minneapolis in late fall at the National Conference on Tobacco or Health. "Is it a gateway drug to cigarette smoking?" she said. "Does it help them quit smoking? We don't know." ( "Smoke and mirrors" by Josephine Marcotty/Scripps Howard News Service, The MetroWest Daily News, 12/18/2007) We also have to be concerned with the cigarettes with less tobacco smell being introduced in Canada. Click on image to enlarge - some of the many tobacco products now available..
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December 18, 2007 - Does Reynolds Wish for Swisher? Citi Investment Research analyst Bonnie Herzog speculates RJR could buy cigar maker to counter PM USA/John Middleton (see related news brief directly below dated December 17, 2007). We believe there is a 75% chance that Reynolds acquires Swisher within the next 6-12 months." An acquisition of Swisher International Inc., a private tobacco company and a market leader in machine-made cigars, would offer several benefits to Reynolds American Inc. including a quick market share grab of the growing cigar industry, substantial cost savings and synergies with its Conwood and Lane subsidiaries, an opportunity to truly become a "total" tobacco company and to become a bigger player in the growing U.S. cigar category than PM USA, said Herzog. An acquisition of Swisher would give Reynolds the opportunity to become the second-largest domestic cigarette manufacturer, the second-largest smokeless manufacturer and the largest machine-made cigar manufacturer, she added. With U.S. cigarette volumes consistently declining, and Reynolds inability to take its famous cigarette brands outside the United States given the sale of these trademarks, "we believe an acquisition of Swisher provides Reynolds with a growth opportunity within the domestic tobacco sector, much like Conwood, considering cigar volumes have been growing, even despite limited promotion of the segment."
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December 17, 2007 - Loews to Spin Off Lorillard, Newport Cigarette Maker.. Loews expects the tobacco spinoff to be complete by the middle of next year, and said Greensboro, North Carolina-based Lorillard will likely list on the New York Stock Exchange. "Lorillard would be a smaller, but valuable opportunity to get some brands and share in a highly profitable market" for a potential buyer, said Bruce Davidson, an analyst at Blue Oar Securities in London. Newport is the best-selling menthol cigarette in the U.S., according to Loews, and the nation's No. 2 cigarette brand behind Altria's Marlboro. Founded in New York City in 1760 by Pierre Lorillard, the unit is the oldest continuously running cigarette maker in the U.S. as well as being the country's third-largest tobacco company, Loews said. Lorillard also sells cigarettes under the brands True, Maverick and Old Gold. (Bloomberg.com, 12/17/2007) On October 25, 2006 Lorillard announced that it has entered into an agreement with Swedish Match North America to jointly develop and market a select line of smokeless tobacco products in the United States. (TobaccoWatch.org) Lorillard will soon begin test marketing its own snus, under the brand Triumph, Loews executives said Monday (12/17/2007). The Triumph test product is part of a joint venture formed in October 2006 with Swedish Match North America Inc. to develop smokeless tobacco products. ( Loews to Spin Off Lorillard Tobacco by Vinnee Tong, Assoc. Press) Swedish Match is making the product in Sweden and Lorillard is distributing it. (Philip Morris Revises Smokeless Tobacco Market Tests by JOHN REID BLACKWELL/ Richmond Times-Dispatch, 1/11/2008)
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December 17, 2007 - Reynolds American linked with Swisher.. There is a good chance that Reynolds American Inc (RAI) will try to buy the cigar manufacturer, Swisher International, according to Citigroup. The acquisition of Swisher, which is a private tobacco company and a market leader in machine-made cigars, would allow Reynolds to compete strongly in the cigar sector, where PM USA has recently acquired John Middleton, the maker of Black & Mild Cigars (see related news briefs: December 12, 2007 and November 2, 2007. Citigroup said that the Swisher acquisition would provide RAI with a quick market share grab along with substantial cost savings and synergies with Conwood and Lane. (Tobacco Reporter, 12/17/2007) More on Swisher International..Read more...

December 14, 2007 - Coupons for Free Cans of SNUS Readily Available.. - Initial acceptance of SNUS has been poor. Tobacco companies are in agreement for SNUS to catch on and be a strong seller it's going to require more public awareness and education. As part of the plan in bars patrons are giving a free coupon to try SNUS or after a few drinks and you express interst in SNUS they'll mail you coupons - this is for Marlboro SNUS and Camel SNUS in the Dallas, TX area. In addition, in the same area of the U.S., you can find Camel SNUS coupons tucked away in Sunday newspapers and free weekly publications that can be exchanged at stores for a tin full of smokeless, spitless, tobacco pouches FREE. A local dentist Kyle McCracken believes the tobacco company is marketing the product to younger consumers who do not currently use tobacco products. "It appears in the format that they're using, it is appealing to younger adults and kids," Dr. McCracken noted that Camel Snus is sold in a tin container like Altoids mints. "To me, that resembles candy," he said. "It seems to be that it is more appealing to the younger people." The Camel Snus Web site suggests using its product "at a concert, right in front of security, on a jet from Miami to L.A. or at a bar or club. Critics of Snus—like dental hygienist Lynnette Gonzalez—believe the tobacco industry is targeting a new generation of customers by creating a devious way to get kids addicted without teachers or parents knowing it. They make it look fun," Gonzalez said. "Some of their advertisements say 'bars' or 'when you're riding in cars' and stuff.""We do not want youth to use these products," Howard said. "We do not want to communicate with youth." David Howard, a spokesman for R.J. Reynolds, states that ads are targeting only one audience: Adult tobacco consumers. "We do not want youth to use these products," Howard said - BUT THEY ARE. "We're fighting, it seems, like a no-win battle here trying to get people to stop using tobacco products," Gonzalez said, "and they're giving them out for free." ( "Critics Assail Smokeless Tobacco Giveaway" by Steve Stoler, WFAA-TV, Dallas/Fort Worth, 12/13/2007; Say 'Screw It' to Smoke Breaks with Snus, DC9 at NIGHT, Dallas Observers Blogs - Music, 12/11/2007) We have to win this time or our future leaders - our children will end up nicotine addicts never able to achieve their full potential. Who do you think is going to pick up the Art of SNUSING?? - not inveterate (hard-nosed, long-established, deep-rooted) cigarette smokers but young adults and any youngsters they can entice along the way.(TobaccoWatch.org) INCOMPLETE - Not all links to existing news briefs connected yet..
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December 13, 2007 - Bush vetoes 2nd bill expanding the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)... Wednesday (12/12/2007)was the deadline for Bush to act or let the bill become law. This is his second rejection of a bipartisan effort in Congress to increase funding for the program. Bush's statement said: "This bill does not put poor children first, and it moves our country's health care system in the wrong direction," Ultimately, our nation's goal should be to move children who have no health insurance to private coverage, not to move children who already have private health insurance to government coverage." Bush urged Congress to extend the program at its current funding level before lawmakers leave Washington for their holiday break. Congressional leaders said now will try to extend the SCHIP program into 2008 in basically its current form. The House voted 211-180 late yesterday to put off until January 23, 2008 a vote on overriding the president's veto. ( "Bush Vetoes Kids' Health Bill Again", CBS NEWS, 12/13/2007.) President Bush continues to oppose an increase in cigarette and tobacco taxes to fund the expansion of the SCHIP program.

December 12, 2007 - Michigan Senate Deals Blow To Smoking Ban.. Efforts to ban smoking in Michigan bars, restaurants and other workplaces have hit a road block in the state Senate after being passed by the state House. Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, R-Rochester, said the ban was bad for business. In other words, the inconvenience those businesses might endure is too great a sacrifice just to improve public health. (thetimesherald.com) "Michigan is one of the most disappointing states when it comes to protecting kids from tobacco and currently spends only a fraction of what the CDC recommends for tobacco prevention," William V. Corr, Executive Director of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. ("Michigan ranks 47th in funding programs to prevent youths from smoking" by Santiago Esparza, The Detroit News, 12/12/2007) Detroit is now the poorest city in America, with fully one-third of its residents living below the official federal poverty level. Nearly one half of the city’s children, 47.8 percent, live below the poverty level. Smokefree Laws in U.S. States/Commonwealths/Dist

December 12, 2007 - Altria completes Middleton acquisition.. The Altria Group said yesterday (12/11/2007)that, having received regulatory clearance, it had completed the acquisition of John Middleton, a leading manufacturer of machine-made large cigars, from privately held Bradford Holdings.(Tobacco Reporter) Cigarette consumption has been decreasing for more than 25 years and slipped about 2% between in 2006 year and in 2005. Machine-made cigars shipments, however, grew 4% between 2003 through 2007, per Altria. Middleton, which produces cigars in King of Prussia and Limerick, Pa., saw operating income grow at a 10% compound annual rate during the same period. Black & Mild brand generates 23% of machine-made large cigar sales. The deal, which was the biggest in Altria’s 105-year history, is expected to close by the end of the year. ("Philip Morris Says Have a Cigar" by Mike Beirne, Brandweek, November 6, 2007) See related News Briefs: November 25, 2007, November 24, 2007,November 2, 2007and May 16, 2007. Read more...

December 12, 2007 - Use of smokeless tobacco is a risk factor for cigarette smoking.. The use of smokeless tobacco(ST) in the 7th and 9th grades is a significant risk factor for subsequent smoking even when controlling for other factors. This study assessed the risk of smoking uptake over 2 years in adolescent boys (in grades 7 and 9) who had used ST. We used logistic regression to determine whether the odds of adolescent boys taking up regular smoking over a period of 2 years were greater among initial nonsmokers who used ST, compared with nonusers of ST, after accounting for six well-established predictors of smoking. Initiation of weekly smoking 2 years after baseline was associated with ST use at baseline, even after including dichotomous measures of parent, sibling, or close friend smoking; low academic grades; 30-day alcohol use; and a scale measure of deviant behavior. With these other predictors included in the model, the odds ratio for the association of ST use with weekly smoking after 2 years was strong and significant (OR = 2.55, 95% CI 1.45-4.47, p“Suckers today, smokers tomorrow.”Read more...

December 11, 2007 - Philip Morris will launch Australia's first hand-held electronic smoking device from its South Yarra concept store today (12/11/2007) in a move that has infuriated anti-tobacco groups. Unlike normal cigarettes, the device is said to deliver an "aerosol which gives the consumer the flavor and aroma associated with smoking" and claims to reduce second-hand smoke by more than 90%. Fiona Sharkie, Executive Director of Quit Victoria said the Heatbar had been a "miserable failure" overseas. She accused Philip Morris of deliberately targeting young people in one of Melbourne's most fashionable retail precincts and called on the Federal Government to investigate the device. It was approved by the former minister for ageing, Christopher Pyne, who was responsible for drug and alcohol policy under the Howard government. The Philip Morris spokesperson conceded that smoking through the device was NO safer than normal cigarettes.Quit Victoria is dedicated to eliminating the pain, illness and suffering caused by tobacco. For more information see: "Revealed: tobacco giant's secret new weapon in the age of smoking bans" by Cameron Houston, June 27, 2007. Click on image to enlarge..Read more...

December 10, 2007 - The study, published in the December 2007 issue of Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, examined the use of prospect theory in getting people to quit smoking. Prospect theory maintains that gain-framed messages (“You will live longer if you quit smoking”) should be more effective than loss-framed messages (“You will die sooner if you do not quit smoking”) when attempting to encourage smokers to quit. The research team randomly assigned 258 smokers in a clinical trial in which they received video and printed messages that emphasized either the benefits of quitting smoking or the costs of continuing to smoke. All of the participants also received the antidepressant bupropion for seven weeks. Among the 170 smokers who completed treatment, those who received the more positive, or gain-framed, message were significantly more likely to maintain abstinence than those who received the more negative, or loss-framed, messages. Read more...

December 10, 2007 - - Citigroup tobacco analyst Bonnie Herzog said during CSPNetwork's Tobacco Update CyberConference on Wednesday (12/5/2007)that there are some exciting things that could happen in the next year or two. Kicking off the excitement will be the spinning off of Philip Morris International from Altria Group, which New York City-based Herzog is confident will occur in the first quarter of the year. "I think it will make Philip Morris in the U.S. much more aggressive," she said, referring to the tobacco manufacturer's opportunity to "unleash the beast" within itself. "I think it will encourage them to become much more innovative. I think they will cut costs. I think they will buy back their stock. I think they will look at acquisitions." The company has already shown an interest in acquisitions with its recent intent to purchase the John Middleton cigar company. Herzog speculated on additional acquisition opportunities, including the likelihood that Philip Morris could buy the Swedish Match smokeless tobacco company. Herzog also said it will be Philip Morris' first real opportunity to battle Lorillard Tobacco Co.'s Newport menthol cigarettes; latest conflict. (Growth of menthol cigarettes segment.) While Herzog doesn't expect approval of the current legislation that would put that regulation in the hands of the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), she said eventual regulation will occur. (Philip Morris to 'Unleash the Beast'? by Steve Holtz, CSP Daily News, December 10, 2007)Read more...

December 7, 2007 - A report issued last Friday (November 30, 2007) by the FDA's Science and Advisory Board documented that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is understaffed, underfunded and underperforming is all the evidence Congress should need to reject proposed legislation that would add responsibility for tobacco regulation to that overburdened agency. That's the message sent to Congress (12/5/2007) by Jim Martin, President of 60 Plus , a national senior advocacy organization. Martin sent a letter to the House Energy and Commerce Committee urging them not to add to the FDA's problems by voting in favor of the tobacco regulation legislation. The legislation Martin asked the committee to reject is known as the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (H.R. 1108). It would force the FDA to take on wide-ranging responsibility for all facets of tobacco regulation. ( Leader Urges Congress Not to Worsen FDA Crisis, PRNewswire-USNewswire, 12/5/2007) Related news brief: October 5, 2007.Read more...

December 6, 2007 - Underage smoking will be outlawed and parents banned from lighting up in cars with children, under a Victorian proposal to crack down on youth smoking. Nationals MP (Member of Parliament) Damian Drum signalled in state parliament on Tuesday he would introduce a private member's bill to reduce the number of young smokers. The bill, to be tabled early next year, would make smoking illegal for under 18s and introduce penalties for minors caught having a puff. The proposed legislation also would ban parents from smoking in cars when children are on board. Under existing laws, it is illegal to sell cigarettes to anyone under 18 but minors are not penalized for smoking. Click on image to enlarge.. Victoria is a state located in the south-eastern corner of Australia. It is the smallest mainland state in area, but the most densely populated and urbanised. Victoria is the second most populous Australian state, after New South Wales, with an estimated population of 5,188,100 as at March 2007. Melbourne is Victoria's capital and largest city, with more than 70% of all Victorians living there. (TobaccoWatch.org) Read more...

December 6, 2007 - In an effort to help curb the Brits appetite for cigarettes, the UK has unveiled a series of 15 disturbing images and slogans that will be printed on cigarette boxes starting in October 2008. By slapping on pictures of throat cancer and blackened lungs, the government hopes to send a stronger message to smokers beyond just the warning label. According to Health Secretary Alan Johnson, tobacco is the number one cause of death and illness in the UK, killing over 120,000 people this year, which works out to more than 13 people an hour! UK officials are not the first to enlist such a heavy scare tactic. In 2001, Canada was the first country to use this approach, where more than 1/2 of smokers claim they now smoke less due to the images impact. Singapore began splashing horrific images across their cigarette packs in 2004 and have since reported 1/4 of smokers “felt inspired to quit”. Australia and Brazil have also seen similar results. UK To Print Horrific Images On Cigarette Packs The findings provide strong support for the effectiveness of prominent text warnings that meet the minimum international standards, the findings also suggest that larger pictorial warnings may have an even greater impact.(David Hammond, PhD, Do Cigarette Warning Labels Work? Results From Four Countries, February 6, 2007) Image courtesy of Thailand Health Promotion Institute; Click on image to enlarge.. Mild Seven is the second most popular cigarette in the world behind Marlboro. (TobaccoWatch.org) Read more...

December 5, 2007 - - Lorillard Tobacco Co. is denying that its use of the letter “M” to promote its Newport cigarettes cashes in on Philip Morris USA’s iconic Marlboro brand. The nation’s No. 1 tobacco company filed suit in October in U.S. District Court seeking to block Lorillard from using an “M” in its packaging for Newport, contending it unfairly infringes on its top-selling brand. Lorillard, which is based in Greensboro, N.C., filed an application in February with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to register “M Newport Blend” and “M Newport Blend The Way to Chill” as trademarks. Lorillard said Richmond-based Philip Morris’ “alleged M mark is not famous” and that “consumers do not associate the letter M alone with Philip Morris at all, let alone exclusively.” Marlboro, the best selling cigarette in the world, is the most popular cigarette in the United States, with a 41.1 percent share of the retail market. Philip Morris said its brands have a 50.6 share. Lorillard, which is a subsidiary of Loews Corp., had a 10 percent share of the U.S. cigarette market. The Newport brand, the best selling menthol cigarette in the United States, had a 9 percent share. Click on images to enlarge..Read more...

December 5, 2007 - The words of Murray Kessler, UST's (principal subsidiaries: U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company and Ste. Michelle Wine Estates) president and chief operating officer, at the Reuters Consumer and Retail Summit in New York, 6/20/2006. "There's a market (for smokeless) there and collectively or individually, one of us (referring to his company, Philip Morris or R.J. Reynolds Tobacco) is going to get it right and it's going to be big business," Kessler said. (Tobacco Journal International)Tobacco companies now realize for SNUS to catch on and be a strong seller it's going to require more public awareness and education.Even the mighty Marlboro name linked to SNUS is having trouble. Brad Rodu, an oral pathologist and professor of Medicine at the University of Louisville, says smokeless products can serve as effective substitutes for smokers who are either unable or unwilling to quit tobacco and nicotine entirely (inveterate smokers). Dr.Rodu holds an endowed chair in tobacco harm-reduction research funded by two companies that manufacture smokeless tobacco products. (Tobacco ruling reopens debate on smokeless products , 9/26/2006, New York, NY, Lauren Foster) We're afraid the groups that will take time out to learn the Art of SNUSING are young adults and kids that want to be young adults. (TobaccoWatch.org) Click on image to enlarge..Read more...

December 4, 2007 - Yesterday, the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco representative spent at least 4-hours in our c-store passing out coupons for a free can of Camel SNUS (calling it Swedish snuff) to every person that bought a tobacco product. Tobacco companies now realize for SNUS to catch on and be a strong seller it's going to require more public awareness and education. Even the mighty Marlboro name linked to SNUS is having trouble. David Sylvia, director of media affairs for PM USA did say that consumer awareness was a major barrier. “With a new product, people just don’t understand,” he said. “Getting them aware is a big challenge. Awareness and understanding is critical.” Look for the Marlboro January 2008 Gift Pack Promotion for all those loyal Marlboro Red and Lights adult smokers. (TobaccoWatch.org) Click on image to enlarge.._Read more...

November 28, 2007 - With U.S. cigarette sales declining at an average rate of about 2% a year and sales of smokeless tobacco products rising at about 6% each year tobacco companies have turned to a product called SNUS. SNUS is a smokeless, spitless moist snuff that has been part of the Swedish culture for over 200 years. Many people consider a product like SNUS to be less dangerous than cigarettes because many of the disease-causing toxins associated with smoking are created when tobacco is burned. The Swedes with SNUS being a part of their heritage always have had a low prevalence of smoking. As a result rates of lung cancer in men has been the lowest of any country in Europe. Smokeless tobacco has been considered a dirty habit because in a social setting it can be difficult to hide since the user has to spit and it can be messy. In the United States at the end of the 19th century anti-spitting laws were in force, indicting smokeless tobacco’s loss socially acceptability. (Smokeless tobacco was rapidly replaced with cigarettes – the same could happen again; “Suckers today, smokers tomorrow.”) The one property that makes SNUS tolerable is that it is promoted as being “spitless.” The SNUS packet has to be tucked under the upper lip and kept there for several minutes without movement. If movement occurs more saliva will be produced and the urge to spit will increase. Drooling can be a problem, especially for the inexperienced user and any juice that is swallowed contains lots of toxins including carcinogens. More and more studies are surfacing that indicates SNUS users are at an increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer. In addition, a lesion can form at the location in the mouth where the SNUS is continually placed. - INCOMPLETE... Read more...

November 28, 2007 - RJR drops print ads... R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. said yesterday that it will not advertise its cigarette brands in newspapers and consumer magazines next year. The company said it will focus cigarette marketing in three areas - direct mail and Web sites to age-verified and certified adult smokers, age-restricted events and venues, and retail to adult smokers. “This was a business decision, designed to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of our marketing programs,” said Jan Smith, a spokeswoman for Reynolds. Smith said that Reynolds takes many “industry and corporate social-responsibility issues” into consideration when making business decisions. She said that Reynolds could resume print ads depending on “changing business needs.” Most recent protests have targeted the Camel No. 9 brand extension, started in February, particularly ads in 11 women’s magazines that the groups said target females under 18. Reynolds has said that Camel No. 9 and its marketing focus on adult female smokers. (Winston Salem Journal, Richard Carver, 11/27/2007) Let's Hope this Also Includes Camel SNUS ads. Related News Briefs: Camel No.9 - October 19, 2007 and Camel SNUS - October 5, 2007. An insert in Rolling Stone magazine (November 15, 2007 issue) sponsored by Camel cigarettes is under fire from The Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids because, they say, it blurs the line between advertising and editorial content — and worse yet, features cartoons. ( Antismoking Activist Calls Rolling Stone Insert ‘One Great Big Cigarette Ad,’ by Stuart Elliott, New York Times, 11/26/2007) Click on image to enlarge..Read more...

November 27, 2007 - More and more Quebec teens are giving up cigarettes. But many of them are switching to cigars and cigarillos. And that has health advocates worried. The Quebec Institute on Statistics says the number of teens smoking cigarettes has gone down by 4 per cent in two years: about 15 per cent lighting up. But cigars are bucking that trend, with sales of cigarillos in candy flavours like raspberry, peach and mint chocolate up 300% in Quebec. And kids are eating them up: 22 per cent up from 18 per cent since 2004. Anti-smoking groups like the Quebec Council on Tobacco and Health fear their popularity could fuel a kid-friendly smoking revival. "It's almost like candies. A teenager can see that it's something you can try like chewing gum." Spokesman Mario Bujold. "You can get addicted to cigarillos as well as to cigarettes." They can be also be bought as singles at any depanneur (convenience store), something Bujold says needs to be strictly enforced or changed: to be sold like cigarettes, in packs, behind the counter, complete with big, frightening warnings of health risks. (Shuyee Lee, CJAD, Montreal's Newstalk Leader, 11/21/2007) More background:Cigarillos: Big Tobacco's Candy-Coated Chicanery, flavoured cigars send teens smoke signals. Quebec moves to ban singles", John Stobo, National Review of Medicine, Patients & Practice, volume 4 no. 8, 4/30/2007. See related News Briefs: November 24, 2007, November 22, 2007, November 20, 2007, November 2, 2007, and May 16, 2007. Read more...

November 26, 2007 - UST has long pursued a strategy focused on getting smokers to put down their cigarettes and make a permanent switch to smokeless or use these products in places such as the office, a hotel room, or a restaurant where smoking is forbidden. But UST’s experience shows that Altria Group's Philip Morris and Reynolds will have an uphill battle in teaching smokers to use snus. UST has had a Swedish-style product known as Revel (2001) in test markets for several years, but has yet to broaden its distribution nationally. Last year, UST introduced Skoal Dry, another Swedish-style, pouch product. Its launch was partly born out of frustration over the difficulties associated with creating brand awareness for a product given the restrictions on marketing tobacco products. Even with the more recognizable brand, its been difficult. “This is a long, slow build,” said Dan Butler, president of UST’s U.S. Smokeless Tobacco unit. “You are changing consumer behavior.” Butler said he welcomes the competition from Marlboro Snus and Camel Snus because it will help to raise awareness. Unlike its rivals, Camel Snus is refrigerated until it is sold. All three companies have been trying to spread the word about the new products through Web sites dedicated to the products and direct mail campaigns targeted to their extensive databases of smokers. Although both Marlboro and Camel are well-known brands, Philip Morris clearly has the numbers on its side. Close to half of all U.S. smokers, smoke Marlboros, while only about 7% of U.S. smokers puff on a Camel. Reynolds is taking its marketing of Camel Snus a few steps further. The Winston-Salem, N.C. Read more...

November 25, 2007 - Philip Morris USA hosted on November 15, 2007 at Emeril's restaurant in South Beach (Miami Beach, FL) to convince people that they do not employ target marketing. Bill Phelps, manager of Media Affairs for PM USA, "Promotions are National, Marketing is broad based. We do not target ethnicities." In June 2007, a Coral Cables attorney filed suit against several tobacco companies including PM, accusing them of targeting black consumers. Phelps claims the future of PM is based upon developing ways to reduce the harm of the product and broadening the product base. ( "Philip Morris USA Discusses Target Marketing" by Tremene Triplett, Broward Times, 11/23/2007) It is interesting to note Philip Morris recently acquired John Middleton, Inc. the maker of pipe tobacco flavored cigars like Black & Mild. B&M is the second largest selling machine-made cigars in the United States - smoked mainly by young African Americans. (TobaccoWatch.org) Image by Sumner Hutcheson III - Click on Image to Enlarge.Read more...

November 24, 2007 - State lawmakers increased taxes on cigarettes during the special session, but the pipe tobacco flavored cigars such as Black & Mild slipped though their fingers. (These usually inexpensive cigars are also called "loosies" because they can be sold individually or in packs.) The legislation would have required retailers to sell the cigars in packs of five or more - not individual cigars. Like cigarettes, they would have been taxed $1 per pack of five to 10 cigars and $2 per pack of 11 to 20. But opponents said the legislation unfairly singled out the Black & Mild (B&M) brand. We believe it's unfair to target a single tobacco product brand, to tax it differently than its competitors," said David Sutton, a spokesman for Philip Morris, which owns the B&M brand. Philip Morris recently acquired John Middleton, Inc. the maker of B&M. (In 1968, John Middleton launched the first cigar ever to be made of pipe tobacco. Today, the B&M brand has the best-selling cigar package (the 5's pack) in the U.S. And our other pipe tobacco cigars are all good sellers. These brands are Cherry Blend, Gold & Mild, Prince Albert's Soft & Sweet Vanilla, and Prince Albert's Soft Cherry Vanilla. Each of these brands is available in a five-pack and the 25 upright package.) B&M and other similar products like Swisher Sweets have wide appeal amongst black youth. The Maryland House felt the issue of pipe tobacco flavored cigars would be better dealt with separately, along with the tax on moist snuff. ("Cheap Cigars Escape Taxation Despite Increase On Cigarettes" by Andy Zieminski, Southern Maryland Online, 11/23/2007) Black & Mild is the most popular brand of cigars for smokers 12 and older. Nearly a quarter of 18- to 24-year-old blacks in the Baltimore smoke B&M cigars.Black & Milds in Baltimore, Baltimore City Health Dept., 10/2007. Read more...

November 23, 2007 -Philip Morris USA discusses its new 450,000 square foot Center for Research and Technology. Sensory scientists will work with harm-reduction technicians, and marketing types will interact with engineers to quickly develop potential products that consumers will accept. David Sylvia, director of media affairs for PM USA said the tobacco manufacturer is currently field testing two new flavors of cigarettes, one called Marlboro Smooth and the other called Marlboro Virginia Blend. The latter comes from the “bright” flavor profile of Virginia tobacco. Sylvia said the new flavor lines fall into the company’s core-business category. A “spit-less” pilot of the new Marlboro Snus, a branded product using its tried-and-true moniker, is ongoing in the Dallas-Ft.Worth market, while along the same lines, its Taboka introduction continues testing in Indianapolis. It was also mentioned that another test, this one in Atlanta, that started last month involving a Marlboro-branded, moist-snuff tobacco (MST) product in original and wintergreen flavors. While Snus (pronounced “snoose”) and Taboka fall into a “new product, same consumer” category, he said the MST offer branches off into a “new product, new consumer” scenario. Though Sylvia would not elaborate on any current findings with regards to the ongoing tests, he did say that consumer awareness was a major barrier. “With a new product, people just don’t understand,” he said. “Getting them aware is a big challenge. Awareness and understanding is critical. ”Any testing in place to date will potentially accelerate as the new research center hits capacity." Read more...

November 21, 2007 - CHANTIX™ (also Champix) (varenicline) is non-nicotine prescription medicine specifically developed to help adults quit smoking. CHANTIX contains no nicotine, but it targets the same receptors that nicotine does. CHANTIX is believed to block nicotine from these receptors. Studies show: At the end of 12 weeks of CHANTIX, 44% were able to quit smoking. It also helped reduce the urge to smoke. (From WhyQuit.com: According to boasts by Pfizer, the drug's maker, "approximately one-in-five" users quit smoking for a year.) Posted 11/20/2007 - FDA informed healthcare professionals of reports of suicidal thoughts and aggressive and erratic behavior in patient who have taken Chantix. There are also reports of patients experiencing drowsiness that affected their ability to drive or operate machinery. FDA is currently reviewing these cases, along with other recent reports. A preliminary assessment reveals that many of the cases reflect new-onset of depressed mood, suicidal ideation, and changes in emotion and behavior within days to weeks of initiating Chantix treatment. The role of Chantix in these cases is not clear because smoking cessation, with or without treatment, is associated with nicotine withdrawal symptoms and has also been associated with the exacerbation of underlying psychiatric illness. However, not all patients described in the cases had preexisting psychiatric illness and not all had discontinued smoking. The FDA recommends that healthcare professionals monitor patients taking Chantix for behavior and mood changes. Patients taking this product should report behavior or mood changes to their doctor and use caution when driving or operating machinery until they know how quitting smoking with Chantix may affect them. Read more...

November 21, 2007 - Imperial Tobacco Gets Approval to Sell Brands in U.S.. Imperial Tobacco Group Plc, won approval to introduce its European brands (e.g., Davidoff, West, Lambert & Butler - the UK's best selling brand, Richmond, Superkings, Embassy, Regal, Excellence )the U.S., the industry's most profitable market. The Bristol, England-based company said today it joined the Master Settlement Agreement, an accord between cigarette makers that restricts advertising and is a prerequisite to selling tobacco in the U.S. Imperial will start selling brands such as Davidoff in the U.S. within weeks. Imperial this year became the first foreign competitor for Altria Group Inc. and Reynolds American Inc. in their home market in a decade. Imperial already sells cigarettes locally through Commonwealth Brands (4th fourth largest cigarette manufacturer in the United States (e.g., USA Gold, Montclair, Malibu), which it bought in April for $1.9 billion, and will get the biggest U.S. cigar business when it completes the purchase of Spain's Altadis (Alliance Tobacco Distributors) SA next year.(10/18/2007—The European Commission approved Imperial Tobacco Group’s proposed acquisition of Altadis. Imperial Tobacco in September 2005 purchased a 43.5% interest in Swedish company Skruf Snus AB. - Tobacco_Watch.org) Read more...